Colors of the Rainbow
by Nimbiose
Summary: Because Lambo attracts the Arcobaleno like moths to a flame. Six times Lambo was loved, and the one time he loved back. ArcobalenoxLambo.
1. Orange

**Colors of the Rainbow**

**Summary.** Because Lambo attracts the Arcobaleno like moths to a flame. Six times Lambo was loved, and the one time he loved back. ArcobalenoxLambo.  
><strong>Rating.<strong> PG-13  
><strong>Warnings.<strong> For this chapter: ghosts, Italian researched areas, some spoilers for Inheritance & Future Arcs.  
><strong>Pairings.<strong> ArcobalenoxLambo; AriaxLambo.  
><strong>Disclaimer.<strong> KHR! belongs to Akira Amano  
><strong>AN.** the idea would simply not leave me alone D:

* * *

><p>Lambo had very fond memories of a woman with black hair and a strange mark on her cheek that would sometimes play with him when she visited Tsuna's house. She had the patience of Mama and a willingness to play with a five-year old that he had only found in Rauji, who was now gone. She didn't come around often though, but whenever she did appear she'd bring gifts and toys and candy for Lambo and I-Pin and Lambo liked her very much.<p>

One day she stopped coming. Several weeks and months passed, and Lambo eventually had to ask,

"What happened to the nice lady with the strange mark?"

It took Tsuna a moment to realize whom Lambo was talking about, and when he did, a shadow seemed to cross over his face, as his eyes spoke of a wisdom beyond his years. The moment soon passed though, as Gokudera came barrelling through the front door, Yamamoto hot on his heels.

Lambo wouldn't find out what happened to the nice lady until many years later, when he met a child named Uni who was head of the Giglio Nero Family and seeking an alliance with his Boss. Once Lambo managed to connect the dots and realized what no one had ever bothered to tell him, he asked for the afternoon off. The reactions of his fellow Guardian's to the news ranged from sneers to dull, envious smiles. They thought he was going to simply waste his afternoon fooling around with the girl's of the town.

The teenager _did _go to the small town which was near the mansion, but he didn't seek out the company of any of his lady friends, as Gokudera called them. Instead, he spent the afternoon going through every single flower shop of the town. By the time he was done the once-blue sky was painted in a plethora of oranges, pinks and reds.

Lambo went back to the mansion and then ordered a car bound for the _Reggio Calabria_ cemetery. The drivers all groaned at having to go so far, so late for a teenager and going to a cemetery so close to nightfall, but Lambo was firm. Finally, one of the younger drivers, Pietro, agreed to take him, so long as he didn't have to actually go into the damn place. Lambo agreed, and off they went.

As they left the mansion and passed through the town, Lambo slowly felt a sense of guilt creeping up. He was also mad, though. Mad at Tsuna, at Gokudera, at Yamamoto, at Reborn, just- all of them. Because they hadn't even _bothered _to tell him that someone who was actually dear to him had _died._

And yet…and yet, if he were to be honest, he was mostly angry at himself and feeling guilty for not pushing the questions more, for not realizing that something was decidedly _off_ about that woman's sudden disappearance from his life.

Finally, the car arrived outside the imposing gates of the cemetery. The sky was becoming gradually darker now and Pietro shivered slightly as he opened the door for the teen. The driver turned to his passenger,

"Are you sure you want to go in there?"

Lambo was also beginning to ask himself the same question, but he'd made up his mind to correct his ignorance and he wasn't going to back down now. As he began to walk through the cemetery however, shortly after being greeted by the dark and sulking manager (who could have very well been a corpse himself), he began to seriously reconsider his decision.

Although the dead were his only company, Lambo was sure that he heard footsteps behind him. A few more minutes into his walk, and a chilly breeze which came from nowhere forced him to tighten his hold on his flimsy jacket, looking around in fear. The marble walls of the vaults, filled with good wishes from the families of the deceased, were beginning to look ominous as the sun continued its descent in the distance and shadows played tricks with the young Bovino's eyes. Lambo gulped.

Finally, _finally_, Lambo reached the vault he was after. The Giglio Nero was not the most prosperous of Mafia families, but they were well-off enough to have an imposing resting place for those of them who had moved on. Of the inscriptions outside the vault, Lambo zeroed in on one: _Aria._ The flowers next to her name had been freshly changed, probably by her daughter or one of her men. Indeed, the entire outline of the transcription plus the vault itself was decorated with flowers. Lambo's modest bouquet paled in comparison, and he blushed, but he shook his head and placed it next to the others.

His contribution, at least, was the only one that consisted solely of orange flowers. And these were not limited to one kind – Lambo had bought hibiscuses, daffodils, buttercups, azaleas – any kind of orange flower he had managed to find for the money he carried in his pockets.

Lambo set his own gift next to the others, standing before the vault and _her_ name once more. He bowed his head slightly, mentally thanking her for all those times as a child she would play with him, and apologizing for how long it took for him to visit her.

What happened next, Lambo is still not sure of. All he knows is that, at some point during his mental monologue, he had closed his eyes. And then, the next thing he knew, a warm pair of what could only be lips pressed against his own firmly. Lambo immediately jumped back, falling over and wincing in pain. But when he opened his eyes, sputtering, he realized there was no one there. He looked left and right, but still he couldn't find anyone, there were no tell-tale sounds of someone rushing away. The cemetery was peaceful and quiet as ever - no one had been there. Then he looked back at the vault, and the grave marker, and _her_ name.

_Aria._

Lambo paled.

It wasn't possible, right? It just…couldn't be, no?

His cheeks, which had lost their color abruptly, reddened. The cow-loving teen then rushed back the way he had come. He noticed, as he ambled his way through the graveyard, that the ominous feeling from before was gone - instead he felt an almost calming, warm presence guiding him back. The familiarity of the presence only served to heighten his nerves, however, and he quickened his step in earnest.

By the time he got back to Pietro and the car, his blush was still strong. When Pietro asked him what was wrong, Lambo didn't say anything, shaking his head and telling him to drive.

After all, who'd ever believe Lambo even if he told them the truth - that his first kiss was stolen by a ghost?

* * *

><p><strong>AN.** totally not what i originally intended this to be. the idea struck me about halfway and i ran with it. anyway, onto some interesting, geeky, tl;dr info:

**- although** the region/island of Sicily is usually more associated with the Mafia, nowadays the most prominent Mafia is located in the region of Calabria, and it's my headcannon for the current location of the Vongola Italian HQ.  
><strong>- as<strong> a result of the above, i used the Reggio Calabria cemetery. if this isn't in the correct area, then it means i need to do my research better OTL  
><strong>- i think<strong> it's like this in Italian cemetries, but i'm not sure: there's certain family vaults for those prominent, and their ashes/coffins are all in one big place, with multiple names on the grave markers shown outside the vault. feel free to correct me here!  
><strong>- timeline<strong> explanantion, for anyone interested: post-Future Arc and post-Inheritance Arc, Aria does die of illness but Uni is still alive because it's the past.  
><strong>- Pietro<strong> is a cool name. yeah. the Vongola have personal drivers. more headcannon fun.

this was actually kind of fun. Lambo is weird in this chapter, though, methinks, possibly because the entire thing is so bizarre. i kind of like it though, but characterization tips are always welcome.

um. yeah /slinks of to figure out _A Look Through Glass _and other pending fics.

this will have a continuation…someday. um. long A/N is long. apologies.


	2. Purple

**Colors of the Rainbow**

**Summary.** Because Lambo attracts the Arcobaleno like moths to a flame. Six times Lambo was loved, and the one time he loved back. ArcobalenoxLambo.  
><strong>Rating.<strong> PG-15  
><strong>Warnings.<strong> For this chapter: light angst, kiddy ramblings, BL.  
><strong>Pairings.<strong> ArcobalenoxLambo; SkullxLambo.  
><strong>AN. **the fail-brothers duo! i really think they could be good friends and bond over how Reborn's a jerk. not beta'd, and i haven't re-read yet. won't for a while. please to point out mistakes.

* * *

><p>In retrospect, Lambo realized it should have been glaringly obvious.<p>

His friendship with the Cloud Arcobaleno stemmed from the shared pain of being at the receiving end of most of Reborn's taunts (they were only surpassed by Tsuna). When Lambo was still young, and the Tenth Vongola generation had been enduring trials and tribulations far ahead of their age, the Arcobaleno had been present more than once. Their diminutive size, closer to Lambo's own rather than the rest of the group, made the cow-obsessed infant think of all of the hitman babies as friends. He had known they were slightly different from the average five-year old, but he had not bothered to figure out _how_.

Instead, Lambo continued to try and befriend the pacifier-holders, with limited amounts of success. Aria, despite having been older, had been a patient playmate, and others, like Fon, had also smiled and played along. Most bullied and belittled him, led by Reborn as ring-leader, who kept telling Lambo not to interfere with Arcobaleno business because "you're a stupid cow and a member of the Vongola". Whatever _that_ meant, Lambo didn't care. Reborn was stupid and always would be.

Five years later, and Lambo was ten, and a bit more knowledgeable about his world. He knew better than to try and irrupt into the tight-knit, mysterious group of kids that, unlike him, had not grown at all. He indulged in the activities any ten-year old would: playing around, going to school, making friends and eating junk food until he burst. Occasionally, he would be involved in Vongola business, although Tsuna made a point of not including the kid unless it was strictly necessary.

On one such occasion, Lambo had been forced to stay at the Vongola HQ in Italy for a week. He was really bored - the rest of the Guardians, most of them about twenty or thereabouts, did not want anything to do with him. He'd already gone out that morning and messed about town, and he'd played pranks on the maids after that. Lambo stubbornly refused to do his schoolwork until he had no other choice (something which Reborn openly blamed Tsuna for), and he was no longer allowed to run about after destroying some sculptures (which were old anyway. Lambo's clay figurines of cows were _much_ better than those old men with moustaches).

Sighing, the kid trudged along one of the many elaborate hallways, his eyes darting around in search of more mischief to cause. It was as he walked that he heard strange sounds coming from behind a door. Curious as any child is, Lambo looked around cautiously before quietly tip-toeing to the door so he could hear better.

"Stupid," sniff, "Reborn! A-always making fun of me! W-why won't anyone recognize me-e?" this was followed by more sniffs and straight out sobs.

Even more curious now, Lambo slowly opened the door _just_ slightly, so that he could look inside the room. Like the rest of the place, the Vongola had spared no expense and the room was lavishly furnished. On one of the many antique (or old-looking, as Lambo would say) couches, a small figure was curled up. A helmet was sitting next to them and they were covered, mostly, in purple clothing.

Startled upon the realization that this was Skull, an Arcobaleno, Lambo slid forward, falling as the door burst open. Skull jumped, clearly surprised at the intrusion. The two just stared at each other for a few minutes, as an awkward silence descended. Then Lambo smiled.

"You shouldn't cry!" he said cheerfully, as he stood up and dusted himself off.

"Wh-who says I'm crying? Because I'm not! Skull is too strong for that!" the Arcobaleno stiffened, rubbing the tears off of his face as his eyes reddened.

"But I heard you! And I know why you were crying too! And it's totally not worth it!" Lambo said Very Seriously, sitting down next to the toddler.

"Not worth it?" Skull gulped, looking at Lambo's green eyes for the first time. With another smile, Lambo nodded.

"Yeah! I used to cry because of Reborn all the time, but then Mama and Tsuna and I-Pin and_ everyone_ made me realize he's not worth it!"

"R-really?"

"Yeah! Now come on, let's get some ice cream!" as he said this, Lambo smiled brightly once more.

"Ice cream?" Skull's eyes were literally sparkling.

"It's what Mama always gave me when I cried! The best medicine!" with a serious nod, Lambo took Skull's helmet and put it on the Cloud Arcobaleno. Then he picked him up as well as a ten-year old could pick up a baby, and began walking out of the room, ignoring Skull's protests that he should "stop that, I'm not a baby!" because Lambo knew that everyone needed to be picked up and carried sometimes.

What Lambo created that day was a steadfast friendship between the two. Skull, as much as he may deny it, was lonely. He was the youngest member of his group, and although the Karkassa Family offered him shelter, he had no place he really felt he belonged to, and no one to turn to when his emotions got the best of him. Lambo was also the youngest of the group, and also left out of the loop more often than not. A kindred soul, Skull thought. Most of all, though, Lambo did not treat Skull any differently because of his condition.

It was not long before the two became close to inseparable whenever Lambo was in Italy and Skull was nearby. Regrettably, they could not _always_ be together, however the internet, e-mails and IM made the distance smaller and the friendship closer. They had inside jokes, stupid moments they laughed over in delight and outright juvenile humour that made everyone else in their vicinity eye roll.

Another five years, and Lambo is fifteen, and the Arcobaleno curse has been broken. But Lambo hasn't seen Skull in a year and a half, his own schooling and Skull's work not really allowing them to meet at all. Lambo is curious about what his friend looks like now. He knows Skulls knows what Lambo looks like, since the few times Skull had been at Namimori meant the ten-year bazooka at some point and meeting fifteen-year old Lambo practically a given. But he has no idea what Skull looks like, except for a few pictures, and he really wants to know.

So when he hears movement outside his door, and he peeks out to discover that several of the Arcobaleno have arrived, Lambo rushes out to the main hall. Just as he barrels through the main gate, someone's coming in, and the two collide, falling in a painful mess of limbs and soreness.

"Ow, sorry," Lambo apologizes quickly, eager to move on in his quest to find his friend (mentally dubbed, Operation Find Skull And See What He Looks Like To Later Cause Chaos, aka OFSASWHLLTLCC…he's got to work on better acronyms).

"S'okay," a voice Lambo is not familiar with answers, a slight grunt as the two stand up and Lambo finds himself staring straight at-

"Skull?" the purple-haired kid – no, _adult_ now – smiles slightly, nodding in acknowledgement.

"It's nice to see you too, Lambo" and Lambo's smile is just the least bit watery, because what if with this newfound adulthood Skull has changed, what if he's like the others who think Lambo's just a kid, what if he won't want to cause trouble with him again and won't laugh and mock and bother and-

"You wanna go rig the celebration cake?" and with those words Lambo laughs, a beautiful, sweet sound that resonates throughout the main hall and Skull's ears, because Skull hasn't changed at all.

Except Skull _has_ changed, Lambo just doesn't realize it yet, as he guides his friend to the banquet hall. Because Skull, now back to his proper size, can no longer deny himself the feelings he carries for his close friend, and although he won't act upon them for fear of ruining their friendship, he knows that someday his impulses will get the best of him.

And when that day comes, Lambo will slowly, sweetly turn him down, surprised but not the least bit hurt or bothered. Instead, Lambo will be concerned for his friend, telling him he does not wish to lead him on in hopes of false love. And Skull will understand and love him all the better for it, even as he is turned down and his heart is broken, turning to a long-time lady friend of his instead, but never quite letting go of his love for his best friend.

And for Lambo, that will be the first time he rejects a confession and breaks someone's heart, although he will never tells anyone because he will think it's terribly embarrassing that the first person who ever confesses to him is a guy, and his best friend at that. It will make him feel the least bit proud, however, that his first confession comes from someone who used to cry and be bullied all the time until _Lambo_ became his friend, and perhaps it is because of this that Lambo will greedily keep the confession all to himself, even if he did reject it.

* * *

><p><strong>AN.** yeah. it was supposed to be way _way_ different, light-hearted romantic comedy-like and whatnot, but then it decided to end like this. IDK guys. at least now i can use the original idea for someone else. huzzah!

comments, especially concrit, are always appreciated.

**EDIT (Aug 17, 2011):** re-read and fixed grammar. tried to fix the future tense in the last two paragraphs but it might have just made it worse, comments in this regard much appreciated.


End file.
